Dry cleansing unit



Sept. l5, 1942. c; DAHLBERG DRY CLEANSING UNIT Filed Jan. 1l, 1940 Paienteclsept. :'15,l 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V2.295.713. i l

can numbers. mustn, Minn. Application .mm1-y 11,1940, serial No. 313,418, schim. (c1. ss-s) This invention relates to apparatus for and `method of cleansinggarments and has special reference to such particularly adapted for use in the cleansing of various types of fabric such as silk, flannel, velvet, mohair, or the like.

It is well known in the art that the application of various `solvents necessary in the removal of spots from different types of fabric is apt to leave a discolored area about the location ot the spot and that the same is very diillcult of removal in order to completely restore the surrounding surface of the garment. and to quickly care for and effectively remove such is one of the principal objects of the instant invention.

Another object is that of the specially convenient arrangement o! parts in the unit so that all portions of a garment may be cleansed with the least possible effort, for example, not only that ofremoving spots from certain portions of the garment, but in the cleansing of cuffs,

pockets, etc., with the least handling of the gar- Figure Sis'an' enlarged sectional view ofthe' air discharge distributing valve.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation ferred form of suction control valve.

Figure 5 is a 'section on the line 5-5, Figure 4, though partly in elevation.

Figure 6 isa side elevation of a novel form `of intake nozzle.

Figure '1 is atop plan view of Figure 6. It is well known that much effort and money of a pre? chine. Extending forwardly from the upper ex-v ing the chamber I throughout same. The top 'l of saidbody portion forms a shelf for use as a suitable support for bottles, jars, or cans, containing material necessary in the conduct of such cleansing service.

Upwardly from this main body portion is a reduced preferably rectangular housing indicated at 8 in which is contained the necessary pipe connections for water, steam, and air, as suggested at. l for use in the apparatus. A hollow shelf I is installed on this upwardly extending housing .8 and this shelf is provided with any suitable form of pipe connection as at 6 for maintaining heat as by water or steam throughout the shelf so that upon the shelf may be supported small receptacles such as bottles or the like having cleansing material which it is desired to keep warm during the period of operation of the matremity of the housing 8 is the tubular conduit Il, one end of which is connected through the 4 extension downwardly into the chamber 4, the outermost end terminating in a suitable nozzle II controlled as by the butterfly valve I2 for the optional attachment of a hose or the like. Just rearwardly of this terminalnomle II and carried bythe conduit I0 is the depending adjustable lightunit indicated at I3,k a suitable connection lfor which is shown at I4 leading rearwardly to )the upright portion of the unit.

, lAt the upper front face of the body portion i is a somewhat similar pipe terminal indicated at I6 for optional application of a suctionhose or has been ,expended in an attempt to provide a convenient unit of this type, and that it is oldin the art vto provide a receptacle upon a suitable support to which a garment may be applied and suction formed through such receptacle simulthe like, it being provided with a suitable control valve.

Just below the connection I6 isattached the forwardly extending board or work table I'H, it

-being adjacent thebody portion' preferably of the full width thereof and gradually narrowing towards the opposite end for convenience in the application of various types of garments to be operated upon. Approximately centraliymf this board is an upwardly extending valve controlled extension I8, to which any type of screened opent ing or other instrumentality may be applied as taneously with ltheapplication of a lsolvent or washing material.

In the drawing, I represents the main body erably 'less height' but ofjhollow construction, providing a chamber '3 therein. andthe body portion I is alsofof hollow construction, providtion unit 22` communicating with the chamber 4 at I9, and upon which the garment to be treated is placed. The pipe for such connection is indicated at 2li and leads backwardly beneath the table or board I1 into the chamber 4 and preferably downwardly within said chamber as at 2|.

VUpon the front face of the body -portion I and intermediate cfthe board I1 and the base extension 2 is attached a suitable centrifugal sucand discharging through tii'e conduit 2s into the chamber 3, one outer w'all of which is provided with a iiltered or screened opening to the sur-l element 22 as by any form of suitable belt 26 or the like, and from the amature of this same motor as by the belt 2 isdriven a countershaft 26 supported from the under side oi the boardll and extending within the box like receptacle 29. where it is provided with any suitable arrangement of rotary brushes indicated atl 39; Into this receptacle the pockets for example or a garment may be extended and have suction as well as brushing motion applied thereto and be thoroughly cleansed. f

To this receptacle 29 is applied the pipe 3i leading to the pipe 32 which connects ,through the side wall of the body portion i to the chamber t wherein constant suction is applied or semivacuum formed by the unit 22 when in operation.

It is not deemed essential to illustrate in detail means for optional application of power from the motor 25 to the shaft 28, but suice it to say that any suitable form of iixed andidler pulley may be attached to said shaft and controlled by a suitable lever indicated at 33 supported upon the underside of the board Ii, and which lever is attached in any desired manner to the valve 58 so that it is opened when the aft 3d is set in motion and closed when the shaft is stopped.

An additional work shelf or board is illustrated at tti and shown as extending from one side of the body portion i at right angles to the board il and considerably lower than said board, this table or board 3d being specically for the support of a valve controlled cu cleansing nozzle indicated at 35 which communicates as by the pipes 36 and 3l with the intake pipe 32, as clearly illustrated. i

It is quite obvious'that such arrangement of work tables or boards is very handy in the manipulation of single garments having .pockets and cuffs therein, as the elements for cleansing same are in ideal juxtaposition for such operation.

Furthermore an additional feature is provided in that a suitable valve controlled hose connection is illustrated at 38 to the discharge pipe 3a of the suction unit 22 intermediate of said unit and the conduit 23; this pipe 39 being cylindrical in shape and disposed horizontally at approximately the level of the shelfor work table 3d. There is a novel selective connection here provided in that at the outer terminus of the somewhat enlarged pipe -39 is provided a half cylindrical rotatable valveN indicated at 43, Fig. 3, which controls the discharge from the suction unit 22. This half cylindrical valve is controlled by the stem di extending outwardly through the end of the pipe 39 and provided with the suitable gend knob 42 for the convenient rotation of same.

e valve is disposed directly intermediate of the opening into the connection 43 of the hose 38 and the upper end of the conduit 23 so that by the turning of the valve 40 air pressure may be had either in the hose 38 or through the conduit 23 into the chamber 3, thus providing convenient means rfor compressed air discharge through the hand manipulated nozzle 44'.

An additional feature of this connection is that provision is made for the use'of steam in conto this end a lateral connection indicated at asis -e shown upon the elbow ofthe hose connection 38,

and which' connection m'ay be controlled as byl a valve shown at 4i, conveniently located in any desired manner and placed on the extension 8 of the unit, and it is found particularly advantageous to have the steam hose B5 extend substantially the full length of the hose connection 38 so that as nearly live steam as possible may be had at the nozzle 4t when desired. l

Still another convenient feature especially. adapted for use upon a unit is that of the edn-- application of a suitable intake hose such as shown at 38. To one side of the body portion l2 is formed a somewhat enlarged lateral extension,

' attened externally as at du, and within which attenediace is formed the circular depression 'indicated at t9, having a shaft d@ extending axially therethrough and transverse the body portion of the valve i2. Upon this shaft is mounted a common butterily valve di for opening or closing communication to the pipe iii i when the shaft d@ is rotated.

Upon the end of the shaft 5@ which protrudes through and into the opening d@ is xed the sector shaped cam 52, and from adjacent one edge of which protrudes outwardly the pin'. 53 to which is attached the operating lever dfi. Attached to this pin 53 intermediate of the cam and the lever .is one end of the contractile helical spring E5,

while its opposite end is fastened to a pin t for example protruding outwardly from the larger egctor shaped xed portion 5l within the opening By viewing Figure 4 of the drawing, it is quite apparent that when the lever 5d is in the position there shown thesame will be normally held in such position by the contractile energy of the spring 55, and in which position it is desired to have the butterfly valve @i in closed position transverse the bore of the valve, whereas when the lever is thrown to its opposite rotative position the valve will be wide open and the opposite edge of the sector '52 engage the opposite edge of the iixed section 5i, thus limiting the movement of the valve intermediate oi' its open and closed positions.

In Figures 6 and 7 is illustrated a modied form of nozzle, particularly advantageous'in removing i a spot from velvet or the like and in which the j garment is suspended over a principal rectangujunction with such compressed air supply, and

larly shaped bell-mouth vessel indicated at 60 having a iiat shelf like seat wholly about`same and from which seat upwardly protrude a group of closely installed ne wires, such as found in carding cloth, indicated at 6|, covering the en- I tire iiattened surface so that when a ,garment or cloth is placed thereover the same will not contact any smooth surface not subjected tov air currents`pssing thereabouts, norv move during the` a steam and air supply', a suction nozzle connected with said vacuum and adapted to support a soiled portion of a garment thereon and suck air therethrough, a flexible air hose connected with said air supply, a relatively small exible steam hose connected with said steam supply and extending through said `air hose, an exhaust nozzle on the termnous of said air hose through which combined steam and air may be directed to the side of said garment opposite said suction through said garment and into said suction H nozzle.

2. In a dry cleansing spotting machine having means for creating a suction therein, a suction nozzle connected with said vacuum, and carding material supported about the edges of said nozzle and providing means for immovably supportingr a portion of a garment over said suction nozzle. CARL I DAHLBERG. 

